A PUB-GOER who bit a landlord's arm after being told to leave has been jailed.

David Lewis sunk his teeth into the arm of Ulverston pub landlord Ben Jones after the defendant was told he was banned from the premises.

South Cumbria Magistrates' Court heard Mr Jones, from the Piel Castle pub, told the 23-year-old defendant he was part of the Barwatch scheme and needed to leave.

 After Lewis abused staff and customers, he bit Mr Jones while he was on the phone to the police, the court heard.

The court was shown images of the bite mark, which had imprinted on the landlord's arm through his clothing.

Prosecutor Peter Kelly said the incident happened on September 29.

He told magistrates how Lewis was being verbally abusive after being asked to leave and was goading people in the pub to go outside.

Describing what happened next, the court was told Mr Jones said: "I asked him to leave then all of a sudden he's bitten me to the right upper arm."

Mr Jones said the bite had 'some force' and left him with 'a bite mark and bruises on my arm'.

Lewis admitted causing actual bodily harm and causing alarm or distress in the Market Street pub.

He also pleaded guilty to causing £1,000 of damage to a man's van wing mirror in a separate incident in Barrow on November 7.

The court heard the vehicle owner saw Lewis near his home before hearing a loud bang. The damage meant the owner would have had to replace the part, costing around £1,000.

In mitigation, Trystan Roberts said: "It never ceases to surprise me that people can do things like this when they're in drink and when they're sober they're kind, courteous, polite and a gentleman - and that's a description of this young man."

Mr Roberts described the offence as 'low level' and said time behind bars for Lewis would 'allow this defendant to get some assistance'.

Magistrates, led by chair of the bench Gillian Sutton, said the offences were so serious that 'only custody will suffice'.

They sentenced Lewis, of Theatre Street in Ulverston, to 12 weeks for the assault and three weeks for using threatening or abusive words, with no other penalty for the criminal damage.